Country Echoes
MAE BABER, R.D.2, Brandon, Wisconsin
TIME MARCHES ON! I recall it as a slogan used by some newsman or
commentator. How true it is that time waits for no man. Time, as it
marches on is bringing with it a very great change to the community
in which we live. There is a new consolidated school being built
here is Wisconsin and six of our local schools have merged into one
district to make its erection possible.
As we anticipate this new school some sharpened memories come
out of the past to echo through the corridors of remembrance with a
sweetness and yet a touch of pain I had rather forgotten had ever
existed. Can you imagine what the pain was? It was the pain from
very cold feet which were deposited, quite unhappily, on an even
colder school house floor. Of a truth, yea man, it was one of the
most unpleasant aspects of growing up in the country.
There were the mornings (and that quite frequently) when our
frost footed teacher gathered her children with chattering teeth
around the plump jacketed stove, which graced wrong corner of the
room for any comfort, and taught us the fundamentals of knowledge.
(I doubt that she would ever have been too impressed with
today’s ventilated shoes.) There we sometimes stayed until
noon, when the ache had left our feet but was quite apt to have
only been transferred to our empty little stomachs via the
refrigerated dinners which had close contact with the windward side
of the schoolhouse and the drafty wooden floor. By afternoon it had
usually warmed up enough for us to go back to our battered desks
and more orthodox teaching.
One day which I distinctly remember as quite momentous, either a
sympathetic teacher, or a thoughtful mother had the bright idea
that carpet covered boxes could serve as foot stools for our
chill-benumbed feet. Ah! What a happy day as we came to school
bearing our various sized boxes to accommodate our various sized
feet! There was only one
drawback as far as I was concerned, and that was the painful
realization that I needed a larger box to hold my pedal-digits than
most of the other children my age. After untying about two yards of
wool scarf from around my rosy cheeks I carefully placed my
carpet-enclosed box under my seat. Another box soon would be beside
it as we were all equipped with double seats. I felt better. My
larger box was not so evident now.
Little did I realize, way back then, that some day I might be
quite grateful to have grown to be more than five foot two. It
helps just a little with the widening process that seems to take
place so easily.
As we build our new school, I, for one, would like to pass along
this thought to our own local board and all of you who are
interested in the welfare of our next generation . . .
You can gain lots of knowledge, and yet be a thief,
You can live like a saint, and be on relief,
You can cram information into most any brain
And make it the penitentiary’s gain.
Build a man who is wholesome, God like and true,
Hard working and humble with char acter too,
Help us build for the future a noble race
And our schools will be taking their rightful place.
Sometimes it seems that the teacher and the school have our
children longer than we do during their waking hours. Good parents
are a child’s real need, but teachers and a good school are a
tremendous influence. Let us never forget it, God, and the church,
the parents, and the home, the teacher, and the school, – the
product – a good citizen.
TO THE LADIES . . .
Courtesy of Mrs. S. M. Hadley, R.D. 2, Box 338, Danville,
Indiana
One of my hobbies is collecting Cook Books and recipes. Since
you were asking for contributions I’m enclosing some of our
favorites. You may use them whenever they work in best. Hope you
don’t use them all at one time. (We won’t)
Here is a hint that may help some one – If you burn food in a
favorite pot or pan, wring a clean cloth out of cold water, spread
over top of pan, replace lid and let stand for a few minutes. Food
will not taste scorched and the pan is easier to clean.
APPLESAUCE SALAD
1 can (2 cups) unsweetened apple sauce
1 pkg. orange or lemon gelatin
3 tbs. cinnamon drops (the red ones)
1 cup not water
cup chopped celery
cup chopped nuts
Melt the cinnamon drops in the boiling water, then pour over the
gelatin. Stir until dissolved. Add the apple sauce, let cool until
almost thick. Fold in celery and nuts and pour into individual
molds. Let stand in refrigerator until firm. Unmold on salad
greenery and serve with a peppy lemon mayonnaise.
